Pages

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Cotton vs. Hemp

With
sustainability efforts on the rise, more and more options are becoming
available for designers looking to start an eco-friendly label, or for those
shifting to their first sustainable collection. Many natural alternatives are
now available to replace harmful synthetic fabrics, such as organic cotton,
bamboo and hemp. [1]

The Truth About Industrial Cotton

The environmental
catastrophe that is conventional cotton production is widely known, with issues
such as extensive agrochemical use, monocropping and immense water requirements
topping the list of eco-unfriendly growing practices. [1] Some startling facts
about the negatives of our heavy reliance on cotton as a primary source for
fabrics and textiles:

Cotton is The Pesticide King

The cotton plant
is very susceptible to pests and therefore requires heavy pesticide spraying
and treatment. In 1995 for example, U. S. farmers applied nearly 1/3 of a pound
of chemical fertilizers and pesticides for every pound of cotton harvested. [2]
Much of the groundwater tested in agricultural regions around the world has
been contaminated by runoff from pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers.
Currently 15,000 lakes in the United States are so contaminated that nothing
can live in them. In developing countries, pesticide and fertilizer regulations
are less stringent and the environmental damage is even more severe. [2]

Cotton is Always Thirsty

Cotton demands
heavy irrigation that drains the land of its natural water supply. It can take
more than 20,000 liters of water to produce 1kg of cotton; equivalent to a
single T-shirt and pair of jeans. 73% of global cotton harvest comes from
irrigated land (as documented in the WWF report The Impact of Cotton onFreshwater Resources and Ecosystems).

The Buzz About Hemp

Hemp has been
making a lot of noise lately, especially with the growing awareness surrounding
the use of hemp oil for treating cancer. Although the word ‘hemp’ still often
gets confused and lumped into the same definition as Cannabis, a similar but psychoactive
plant, it’s important to realize hemp can be a major game changer for our world
if used to its potential.

Hemp Fibers And Fabrics

Hemp is one of the
oldest domesticated crops known to man. It has been used for paper, textiles,
and cordage for thousands of years, dating back to as early as 8,000 BC. [3]
Hemp is categorized as a bast – a strong woody fiber obtained chiefly from the
phloem of a plant, which grows on the outside of the plant’s stalk. [3] The
textile material used to make hemp clothing comes from the long strands of bast
fiber that make up the stalk of the hemp plant. The long bast
fibers are the most desirable for the manufacturing of textile. They can
be spun and woven into a fine, linen-like fabric. This fabric can then be used
alone, or blended with cotton, linen, silk, or man-made fibers such as lycra
and lyocell. Hemp fibers are mildew and microbe resistant, which make
them valuable for the production of sails, tarps, awnings, carpets, and
clothing. When compared to other bast fibers such as flax, ramie and jute,
hemp ranks second in fiber length, ultimate fiber length, aspect ratio,
tenacity, tensile strength, and breaking length, and third in cellulose
content.[3] Clothing produced from hemp is more rugged, warmer, softer and
more absorbent than clothing produced from cotton. The Declaration of
Independence was written on Hemp paper and in fact, many of the founders
maintained Hemp farms and grew and cultivated this crop.

Thomas Jefferson claimed:

"Hemp is of first necessity to the wealth & protection of the country".[4]

George Washington stated:

“Make the most you can of the Indian hemp seed and sow it everywhere.”[4]

The Victor, Hemp

Hemp Production is More
Efficient Than Cotton Production

In terms of water
alone, hemp is by far and away the best choice. Industrial Hemp can be grown on
a wide variety of soil types. In fact Hemp is the only known plant that can be
grown from the Equator to the Arctic Circle and to the Antarctic Circle; from
the mountains to the valleys, from the oceans to the plains, including arid
lands and everywhere in between. [3] This means that Hemp doesn't have to tie
up prime agricultural real estate where only tender agricultural stock can
grow.

Purchasing Hemp Clothing

In terms of what
to buy, the key things to take into account are avoiding fabrics created using
by-products of the petroleum industry – nylon and acrylic for example – and
making what you do buy last longer. [3] Look for renewable materials including
wool, silk and (organic) cotton, although It’s worth bearing in mind that silk
production usually results in the death of the silkworm which many consumers
could find unpleasant. Peace silk is an alternative more expensive but it does
allow the moth to leave its cocoon naturally (and alive) before the fibers are
harvested, so is probably a much better bet all round. Also worth looking into
is Lyocell, - Tencel as it’s more commonly known - which is made from wood
pulp. [3] The textile result is long-wearing and comfortable but like organic
cotton, it isn’t without its downsides, which include concerns over the amount
of chemicals needed to turn the pulp into a viable fabric.

So is Hemp the Answer to All Our Environmental Problems, Or Just Boring Pot?

Unlike
many fibers used in today’s apparel industry, hemp is grown without the use of
harmful chemicals, pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. It is also a
high-yield crop that grows very rapidly and with little irrigation (50% less
than cotton), making it a very appealing and “clean” option for designers.
Other benefits of hemp: tensile strength and durability (8x that of cotton),
hypoallergenic, breathable, and UV resistant. It is no wonder
that Stella McCartney, Calvin Klein and a host of other labels now use the
fiber in their apparel, with many others quickly catching on. [1] Hemp can be
used to make many products, including jeans, shirts, dresses, hats and bags